Shenandoah Conservatory faculty member Jeff Cortazzo is the bass trombonist in the U.S. Army Blues and the National Philharmonic. He is also bass trombonist in the Capitol Bones and contrabass trombonist in the Washington Trombone Ensemble. He plays with the Alan Baylock Jazz Orchestra and the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra. He holds degrees from West Chester University of Pennsylvania and DePaul University and is completing his Doctor of Musical Arts in music theory and composition at The Catholic University of America. His principal teacher include H. Lee Southall and Charles Vernon for trombone and Steven Strunk, Stephen Gorbos sand John Bower for composition. His works have been performed in the United States, Europe and China.